Customs And Traditions Common To Funeral Services

Funeral rites the world over are governed by many customs and rites. During funerals, loved ones of the departed pray for his or her soul and resign themselves to the loss of their beloved.

Church rules govern funeral rites in Christian communities. However, as there are over 200 different communities of Christians, there may be many differences in their own types of funeral rites.

The first and foremost custom in a Christian funeral that is organized before the actual ceremony relates to assembling around the deceased for a night and reciting prayers for the departed. This significant tradition is known as wake.

According to present-day standards, funeral rites event is the moment when relatives and acquaintances can see and pay respects to the dear departed for the last time. The body is preserved and housed either inside a Church or at the house, and the time of visit is specified. In the past, the second stage after wake used to be that of absolution, where a cross was placed on the deceased’s body and offertory, which held the presents given by visitors, and the person was absolved of the sins committed during his earthly tenure.

Then comes the main funeral rites, which begins with the transportation of the deceased’s body to the Church in a hearse and is followed by recitation of hymns and prayers from the Bible. After this, the clergy asks a relative or a friend to offer a eulogy before the body is buried. Some Christian communities have chiming of the bells as an integral part of the tradition that signifies the end of service. Then the casket with the dead person in it is brought to the burial place for the final set of rituals, known as the burial service which is performed before the actual burial.

Finally, the funeral’s completion is marked by a mourners’ lunch organized for the family and those present during the funeral rites. The main aim of this tradition is to partake in the sorrow of the family and support them so that they can come to terms with the loss.

Give your deceased loved ones the funerals they deserve with peaceful funeral services. Unique version for reprint here: Customs And Traditions Common To Funeral Services.